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Serie A Preview: Juventus and Roma aim to march on, Benitez calls for calm

Juventus and Roma put their 100 per cent Serie A records on the line and Napoli coach Rafael Benitez seeks relief at Sassuolo this weekend.

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Written ByJames Hogan

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Fit-again midfielder Arturo Vidal scored twice on his return to
the starting line-up as Juve beat Cesena 3-0 defeat on
Wednesday to make it five competitive victories out of five this
season without conceding a goal.

The champions will look to extend that impressive run when
they travel to Atalanta on Saturday and coach Massimiliano
Allegri, who could welcome back midfielder Andrea
Pirlo, stressed that there is more to come from his side.

"I inherited a side with great organisation, but this team still
needs to improve a great deal," said Allegri. "Roma have a
great team and they have improved from last season.

"Every coach trains the way he thinks is best and has different
ways of expressing his concepts. At times you need to raise the
tempo, at others lower it, and some players don’t need to be
completely caged by tactics.

"I think games are won with organisation and excellent players,
otherwise it becomes like playing on a computer and that's not
possible."

The Turin giants have won their last eight meetings with
Atalanta, who come into the game on the back of defeats against
Fiorentina and Inter.

Roma will also be out to maintain their perfect start in Serie A
when they host high-flying Verona on Saturday.

The capital outfit won 2-1 at Parma in midweek, with Francesco
Totti setting up Adem Ljajic for the opening goal and Miralem
Pjanic snatching maximum points late on.

“The pass from Totti was beautiful,” Ljajic told Sky Sport
Italia. “It’s easy to play with him because he sees everything and
always know how to supply the attackers.

“Pjanic is phenomenal and he does amazing things on the
pitch.”

A 3-3 draw at home to Palermo on Wednesday intensified the
pressure on Benitez, whose Napoli team have suffered elimination
from the UEFA Champions League and made a poor start in Serie A
this season.

The Naples outfit will on Sunday face a Sassuolo
side who have drawn three and lost one of their four matches
this term and Benitez has called for calm.

"We need to improve defensively, but it is clear that the
composure is missing," said Benitez. "Crisis? We did well last
year and should be calm."

City rivals Inter, who occupy third spot, and sixth-placed
Milan are Serie A’s joint-leading scorers on 10 goals from four
games.

Walter Mazzarri's Inter side will see a home clash
with rock-bottom Cagliari on Sunday as a great opportunity to
add to that goal tally, while Milan travel to Cesena on the same
day.

Sampdoria take an unbeaten Serie A record into the Derby
della Lanterna against Genoa on Sunday.